Champions League: Did Arsenal over-celebrate semi-final win over Atletico Madrid? - BBC

Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2023-24 and the semi-finals in 2024-25

After some nervy games in recent weeks, there was an explosion of joy at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years - and just the second time in the club's 140-year history.

Jubilant fans are now booking trips to Budapest, where the Gunners will face either Bayern Munich or Paris St-Germain in the final on 30 May.

Arsenal have a chance to become European champions for the first time and Mikel Arteta's side could even do the continental double as they are also top of the Premier League.

But some have pointed out they are yet to get their hands on any silverware, so are the "celebration police" right or was the Emirates ecstasy justified?

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'Do not get nicked by the celebration police'

Arsenal will aim to become the seventh English club to win the European Cup/Champions League.

They could also be the fourth to become national and European champions in the same season - after Liverpool (twice), Manchester United (twice) and Manchester City (once).

Wayne Rooney was part of the Manchester United team that achieved the feat in 2007-08 and the former England striker felt Arsenal 's celebrations were premature.

"They deserve to be in this position but they haven't won it yet," Rooney said on Amazon Prime.

"I think the celebrations are a little bit too much. Celebrate when you win."

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright responded on X,, external saying: " Arsenal fans, let me tell you something: enjoy this. The celebration police will be out in force. Do not get nicked!

"Enjoy yourselves, football's about moments and this is a big moment. Enjoy it and let's hope that in the final and after the final we have another massive moment. It's a great day."

Ex- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger led the Gunners to their previous Champions League final in 2006, when they lost 2-1 to Barcelona.

Speaking on beIN Sports, Wenger said: "They celebrated well tonight, which is normal. But you want more to focus already on the final and the next game.

"The celebration is deserved and happiness is absolutely normal, but now the next step is of course to go to the final and win it."

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Rooney was also critical of Manchester City 's celebrations this season, after they beat Arsenal last month to get back in the Premier League title race.

"I think it was a little bit over the top," he said after City's 2-1 home win.

"It is obviously a big win. I just think it's a little bit premature and it might come back to bite them."

Fellow BBC pundit Danny Murphy agreed City's celebrations "looked a bit excessive, like maybe they had already won [the title]".

But the ex- Liverpool and England midfielder added: "I think it was more a celebration of realising that they are in this and it is in their own hands."

'Not stage-managed, just joy' - fan's view

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Scarlet Katz Roberts from the Goal Difference podcast

Arsenal should celebrate. If there's one learning to be taken from the days between Saturday's victory against Fulham and yesterday's against Atletico Madrid, it's that vibes are paramount.

For the majority of this season Arsenal have been top of the table, soundtracked by endless talk of a quadruple or non-quadruple, unable to move for bottle memes. The sporting evidence would suggest it's been fantastic, but it's felt so hard.

I begrudgingly watched the City fans and players love every moment of their League Cup victory as I shuffled out of Wembley. For a while after that, they seemed totally infallible, a giant blue behemoth blocking out the light. The importance of winning - of good feeling, particularly as energy fades, cannot be overstated.

I will never forget the Arsenal players streaming on to the pitch, 'Freed From Desire' booming out around the ground. I'll never forget the fans drowning out Martin Keown pre-kick-off - sorry Martin - but I'm proud of how loud we were.

It wasn't stage-managed, it was just joy - so hard to come by but so simple. Arteta has been searching for that sensation. Last night 'North London Forever' suddenly lost its hackneyed ring and became a rousing anthem.